Holder for folded napkins and similar articles



Feb. 24, 1931. DAHL 1,793,682

HOLDER FOR FOLDED NAPKINS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed Oct. 51, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E0101 Dahl. By Mm ad/1W flfl'o r'n eyat I 11 van for:

24, 1931. DAHL HOLDER FOR FOLDED NAPKINS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed Oct. 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In venzor: E0101 Dot/ll. y

a the device in place.

Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDOR DAHL, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO GEOFF PAPER COMPANY,

or s'r. PAUL,

MINNESOTA HOLDER FOB, FOLDED NAPKINS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Application filed October '31, 1927. Serial No. 229,963.

My invention relates to holders for folded napkins and sin'iilar articles. An objectis to provide a holder for a plurality of folded paper napkins from which the napizins may be conveniently withdrawn one at a time and so arranged that upon removal of a napkin, the one adjacent thereto will be automatically brought into a position where it can be readily grasped and removed. A further object of the invention is to provide a container of this character which is shaped to properly receive the napkins and from which they may be withdrawn from either of the two ends therehe full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof, and the novel features of my inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of the device. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view with a small portion broken away. Fig. 3 is a View in section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. i is a view in section on the line tl of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section showing the provision of a clamp for securing Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View showing a slight modification.

Referring to the particular construction shown in the drawings, it will be understood that I provide a casing which is constructed of any suitable sheet material and which casing is substantially triangular in vertical section, the sides of the triangle being designated 10 and 12 and the base being designated 14. The base 14 constitutes the bottom of the easing while the sides 10 and 12 converge upwardly and at the place where they unite are somewhat rounded so as not to form a sharp edge. This portion of the casing may be constructed of a single piece of sheet material which is bent into the shape described and which has its ends secured together as by butt-welding at any convenient place such as the middle of the bottom member. The ends of the casing are formed by open center doors 16 which are hinged to the base by hinges 18. These doors are triangular in shape and at their edges have peripheral flanges 20 adapted to fit over the edges of the sides 10 and 12 as will be understood from Fig. 2. A flexible strip 22 is secured to the underside of the apex of the casing by rivets 24. The ends of the flexible strip 22 are provided with catches 26 adapted to engage in openings in the apices of the doors 16. In order to release the catches for. opening the doors, the strip 24 is provided with pushbuttons 28 which project up loosely through the apex of the casing. Inside of the casing there are two followers 30 and 32 which are resiliently urged apart from each other. As shown in Fig. 4, a coiled spring 34 is placed between the followers, the ends of this spring being preferably soldered or otherwise secured to the followers so that the spring will be retained in place with relation thereto. Fig. 7 shows a spring 36 which is somewhat inthe shape of a wishbone, the two branches of which at their lower ends slide into spaces produced by securing straps 38 to the followers. A small chain 40 secured at one end to the central portion of the spring 36 and secured at its other end to the flexible strip 22 prevents the spring from being lost or carried awayeven ifthe ends of the spring are pulled loosefrom the straps 38. The lower ends of the followers 30 and 32 are bent at right angles to their body portion as indicated at 4-2. The bent end portions 12 rest on the bottom 1 and tendto keep the followers in proper upright position. The fol lowers toward their lower end are provided with outwardly extending lugs or ribs the purpose of which will presently appear. The cut-out portions in the opencenter doors .16 are shaped as shown in Fig. 1 and the lower marginal portion of the door defining the lower limit of the open center is constituted by an upwardly and outwardly inclined flange 4:6 as shown in Fig. i. A plated? is preferably secured to the lower side of the member 14 in any suitable manner as by spotwelding. The central portion of the plate 47 is struck downwardly to produce a depressed portion i8, the sides of which are partly cut from the plate to produce openings 50 on all four sides. Any one of these openings is adapted to receive the inner end of a securing strip 52, the outer end of which is formed with a clamping member 54 provided with a screw 56 by means of which the device may be held in position upon a counter or table C. The plate a7 near its four corners is provided with downwardly flanged openings for receiving rubber feet 58 adapted to rest upon the table or counter. The plate 47 at the two opposite sides thereof is provided with clownwardly struck portions 60 which provide openings for receiving the lower end of a doubled strip 62, the upper portion of which is provider. with a vertically extending clip (i l for holding a menu card M. The sides 10 and 12 may be provided with sight openings 66 for observing when the articles which are being dispensed need to be replenished.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be obvious in connection with the foregoing description. As will be apparent from Fi 1 and 2, the holder is particularly intended to dispense paper napkins which have been folded into a generally triangular shape with a flap F at the bottom thereof. lVhen the doors 16 are opened, a stack of napkins may be placed in each end of the casing. When the doors are closed, the lugs or projections 44 will apply outward pressure on the lower portions of these stacks so that the flap F of the outermost napkin in each stack will be forced outwardly over the inclined flange 46, as shown in Fig. 4, into such position that the flap may be readily grasped for pulling the napkin out of the open center of the door. lVhen a napkin has been thus withdrawn, it will be understood that the follower pushes the stack of napkins outwardly so that the outer napkin is continually placed in position for ready removal.

I claim:

1. A holder for folded napkins and similar articles comprising a casing having delivery openings in its opposite ends, two followers in said casing, means for resiliently urging said followers apart from each other, and outwardly extending projections on said followers positioned slightly above the lower ends of said openings, said lower ends being delincd by flanges which are outwardly and upwardly inclined.

2. A holder for folded napkins and similar articles comprising avertically disposed casing triangular in cross section and open on its two opposite ends, triangular shaped doors for said open ends hinged to said casing, said doors having centrally disposed openings, two followers in said casing, means for resiliently urging said followers apart from each other and toward said doors respectively, outwardly extending projections on said followers positioned slightly above the lower ends of said openings, and outwardly and upwardly signature.

inclined flanges on said doors defining the lower ends of said openings.

3. A holder for folded napkins and similar articles comprising a casing having a delivery opening in a vertically disposed end thereof, a sheetlike follower in said casing having its lower end turned inwardly for sliding engagement with the base of said casing, means for resiliently urging said follower toward said delivery opening, and an outwardly extending projection on said follower positioned slightly above the lower end of said opening, said lower end being confined by a flange which is outwardly and upwardly inclined.

4. A holder for folded napkins and similar articles comprising a casing having a-delivery opening in its em., a follower in said casing, means for resiliently urging said follower toward said opening, and an outwardly extending projection on said follower positioned slightly above the lower end of said opening, said lower end being defined by a flange which is outwardly and upwardly inclined.

5. A holder for folded napkins and similar articles comprising a vertically disposed casing triangular in cross section and open at its end, a triangular shaped door for said open end hinged to said casing, said door having a centrally disposed opening, a follower in said casing, means for resiliently urging said follower toward said door, an outwardly extending projection on said follower positioned slightly above the lower end of said opening, and an outwardly and upwardly inclined flange on said door defining the lower end of said opening.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my EDOR DAHL. 

